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Behind the IVF procedure, the pregnancy comes to an end, the woman anxiously awaits the final stage – childbirth. How to prepare for them, we will tell in this article.
Preparing for childbirth
There are some features that you need to be prepared for if pregnancy is the result of IVF.
Firstly, the birth of twins and even triplets is quite common. The protocol usually involves the transfer of a single embryo, but in many cases, multiple pregnancies are still a concomitant feature of IVF. In practice, patients with multiple pregnancies after IVF are 10 times more than patients with twins during natural conception (1). Carrying and giving birth to more than one child always requires additional attention to the pregnant woman.
The second feature is the high probability of an additional, non-reproductive, chronic disease. It can affect both pregnancy and childbirth. It all depends on the woman’s health.
To prepare for the birth of a child, all medical experts who interact with a pregnant woman communicate with each other: from a reproductive specialist to an obstetrician-gynecologist who will take delivery.
Typically, the patient begins to communicate with the doctor who will attend the birth at the 25th week. That is, she has 4 months to discuss all possible risks and solutions. IVF patients have more ultrasounds: up to 12 weeks – as many as three ultrasounds, which show whether the pregnancy has occurred and how it proceeds. In addition, patients after IVF are often anxious and often come to the doctor themselves.
If a woman is observed in a clinic where there is no hospital, she needs to choose a maternity ward in another hospital in advance, talk to a doctor, go to a pregnancy school, etc.
How is the process of childbirth
Usually, after IVF, women, like women who have conceived naturally, go to the maternity hospital at the time of the onset of labor or when the amniotic fluid breaks.
If the patient, in preparation for IVF or in the first trimester of pregnancy, had a hormonal load (additional use of hormonal drugs), it is important to know which drugs she took. This can affect the course of childbirth, so the doctor makes an adjustment for hormone therapy.
During childbirth, anesthesia may be required, but there are no special features in this regard for a woman after IVF.
If a pathology is detected during pregnancy or a caesarean section is required, then the woman arrives at the hospital in a planned manner before the expected date of delivery (2).
Caesarean section after IVF
Women after IVF are often emotionally worried and initially set up for a caesarean section.
Doctors are faced with the fact that patients are afraid of natural childbirth and insist on a caesarean section. In this case, the doctor discusses the fears of the pregnant woman, explains that the situation is quite favorable. Sometimes a psychologist is involved.
It is especially important for the doctor to establish contact with the patient and change her psychological attitude in a positive direction. The doctor offers the most rational, safe way of childbirth in a particular situation, explains everything to a pregnant woman. If she disagrees, they look for alternatives, all the minuses and pluses are studied. After IVF, natural childbirth is offered, if possible, to avoid postoperative complications and a scar on the uterus. But the final decision rests with the patient.
Routine cesarean section is performed for women with multiple IVF attempts and chronic diseases.
Natural childbirth after IVF
Each case is considered separately, and, we emphasize once again, it is not necessary to give birth after in vitro fertilization by caesarean section.
If there are no contraindications to natural childbirth, then they are allowed after IVF. There are no prohibitions in connection with the method of conception.
But sometimes a cesarean is unavoidable. Doctors offer such a solution not for the sake of reinsurance, but in the presence of a danger to the life of a mother or baby. (3)
Popular questions and answers
How is recovery after childbirth?
After childbirth, discharge from the genital tract is observed, milk begins to stand out. Even during childbirth without complications, the doctor observes the woman for some time: he evaluates the contraction of the uterus, the nature of the discharge, an ultrasound scan is prescribed.
After delivery by caesarean section, recovery is slower, as additional healing of the scar on the uterus is required. The suture is also monitored to avoid infection.
Individual features are possible: for example, tears during natural childbirth, etc. Every woman has a different recovery process.
How to calculate due date?
Are second births possible?
Every year, about 1 children are born in Our Country, of which 800% are born thanks to assisted reproductive technologies.
Is it true that IVF babies are born smaller?
Is it true that IVF increases the risk of preterm birth?
Are there any special protocols for working with patients who came to give birth after IVF?
Sources of
- Eco in the treatment of infertility. Management of pregnancy and childbirth / Savelyeva G. M., Kurtser M. A., Krasnopolskaya K. V., Eroyan L. Kh. // 2003
- Ways to reduce the frequency of preterm birth in women after in vitro fertilization / Trifonova N., Zhukova E., Borisova N., Ishchenko A., Chilova R. et al. // 2017
- Features of the course of pregnancy and childbirth in patients after in vitro fertilization / Puchkov S. M., Naiko Yu. V. // 2014